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Graeme Thomson

Kate Bush: Under the Ivy Hardcover – August 1, 2010

by Graeme Thompson (Author)

95 ratings

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This is the first ever in-depth study of Kate Bush's life and career. "Under the Ivy" features over 70 unique and revealing new interviews with those who have viewed from up close both the public artist and the private woman: old school friends, early band mates, long-term studio collaborators, former managers, producers, musicians, video directors, dance instructors and record company executives. "Under the Ivy" undertakes a full analysis of Bush's art. From her pre-teen forays into poetry, through scores of unreleased songs. Every crucial aspect of her music is discussed from her ground-breaking series of albums to her solo live tour. Her pioneering forays into dance, video, film and performance. Combining a wealth of new research with rigorous critical scrutiny, "Under the Ivy" offers a string of fresh insights and perspectives on her unusual upbringing in South London, the blossoming of her talent, her enduring influences and unique working methods, her rejection of live performance, her pioneering use of the studio, her key relationships and her gradual retreat into a semi-mythical privacy.

Print length

384 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Omnibus Press
Publication date

August 1, 2010
Dimensions

6.5 x 1.5 x 9.3 inches
ISBN-10

1847729304
ISBN-13

978-1847729309
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Graeme Thomson
149
Paperback
14 offers from $19.68
Kate Bush
702
Audio CD
3 offers from $22.46
Kate Bush
409
Hardcover
28 offers from $5.46

Graeme Thomson
149
Paperback
14 offers from $19.68
Kate Bush
702
Audio CD
3 offers from $22.46
Kate Bush
409
Hardcover
28 offers from $5.46

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The best music biography in perhaps the past decade... absorbing, painstakingly researched and downright fascinating ... A magnificent read..." - Irish Times
"Thomson's book sheds a light on the women behind the inspiration of many a modern-day chanteuse" - NME
"[An] excellent biography.... expertly unravelling her contradictions and motivations. In addition to his faultless research... Thomson's prose is often as rich and as eloquent as Bush's own writing" - Record Collector
"An excellent bio" - The Quietus
"Thorough, thoughtful" - Pitchfork
"A thoughtful and rewarding book..." - Classic Rock

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Omnibus Press; First Edition (August 1, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1847729304
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1847729309
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.65 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.5 x 9.3 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,470,089 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9,356 in Composer & Musician Biographies
- #18,370 in Women's Biographies

Customer Reviews:
95 ratings

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3 star		9%
2 star		5%
1 star		2%

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Gianfranco Pescetti

...But most importantly, Greame Thomson was able to convey to the reader that Kate Bush is timeless artist...

Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2014

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I have always loved Kate Bush since I saw her for the first time, a 19 years old girl, singing Wuthering Heights, barefoot on stage at the Italian Festival of Sanremo. Greame Thomson was able to capture the very essence of an artist that throughout the years has defied every convention, always driven by a search for her own musical truth, and never creating anything to please an industry which places value on the objectification of its artists and the over production of canned music. God knows, we could benefit of more artists such as Kate Bush in this day and age. But most importantly, Greame Thomson was able to convey to the reader that Kate Bush is a timeless artist, that will always remain a 13 years old girl, making up songs on her beat up piano, at her parent's farm.

3 people found this helpful

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Kokenny

Highly Recommended.

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2015

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This is the best book written about Kate Bush. It is objective and not written by a fawning fan. Many enlightened observations and insights. A must-read for Kate fans. The book was later revised to include "Director's Cut" and "50 Words For Snow". It does not include the time of the live concert series. If you've read a lot about Kate and think you know her story this will blow your mind. A real pleasure to read.

One person found this helpful

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John A. Wright

quite good

Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2014

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i wasn't really sure what to expect but this biography was quite good. it was well researched and the perspective of the various people from kate's life and work added a lot of richness. the author clearly is a fan of kate's work but does not shy from pointing out her weaker efforts. and i got a really nice sense of kate's creative process through the years. well written and i learned a lot about a favorite artist.

2 people found this helpful

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PMFPS

This is the one!!

Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2014

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Forget all those other so-called "Bush bios" out there on the market ... This is the one to look for and purchase, if you're SERIOUS about Kate and the genius talents she possess in her songcraft and delivery!! Graeme Thomson has clearly outdone himself on this one, folks ... Trust me! Buy it! Read it! Know it! This is the one to have ...

Great job, Graeme!!!

2 people found this helpful

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Robert J. McCaffree

The Best...so far.

Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2010

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This is easily the most comprehensive bio written about Kate Bush so far, and unlike the others (which have been content to rehash the same old information that's been floating around for decades), "Under The Ivy" boasts new interviews from those who've worked with her over the years. The interviews are key, because they are the one true insight that makes this book more than a listing of facts we all already know. They provide a bit of emotional background, amusing anecdotes and insight for what would otherwise be very dry text.

The one thing missing, of course, is any participation from Kate Bush (or any of her immediate and current camp). And that is a rather giant gap to fill, since you'd really like to be reading her own emotional reaction to events that befall her. Thomson has dug up some great quotes from Kate that I'd never seen before, but the book still remains a little dry and ponderous for lack of her involvement.

Another small complaint I have is that Thomson disses several great tracks (even saying "Ran Tan Waltz" is a dead ringer for "Army Dreamers," the single for "The Big Sky" probably didn't do well because of the Chernobyl tragedy, and "You're The One" is "a thudding, ponderous rock ballad with an artless heart-on-sleeve lyric...[it's] stodgy...banal...clumsy and clunky"). What?!?! :) Thomson's opinions are usually restrained, but some are as wrong-headed as any snarky review from the NME.

Still, "Under The Ivy" is a very dense, fact-filled read and there are bound to be some gaffes. And having read many of her bios, the truth of it is that I can't imagine there being a better one on the subject until Kate "turns to her computer" herself.

13 people found this helpful

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Gina Nuccio

The Life and Music of Kate Bush: My Review:

Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2013

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I have not finished reading this book yet but I can tell you so far I love it. It tells all about Kate Bushes songs and her albums and how she recorded them and the different instruments that were used and the different band members that played on her songs and about her tour of life about her concert performance. This is the second book I own of Kate Bush

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debra ann reads

Kate Bush- an insight

Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2012

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This book began a little slow, I wanted it to be about Kate Bush, find out facts on this amazing woman. Because we never see her in the media, and she doesn't tour I wanted more about the woman. She soared dizzying heights in the '70's and '80's then very little. The book slowly opens up on the reasons why, and we get a glimpse of the imagination, the lengths she goes to in writing her music, and how shy she is. Very enjoyable especially because the writer quotes Kate and interviews band members.

2 people found this helpful

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Nate Pickard

... as a Christmas present for a friend who will love it. Fast shipping

Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2014

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Got this as a Christmas present for a friend who will love it. Fast shipping, too!

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Top reviews from other countries

Tjlondon

Beautifully written.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 12, 2014

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Firstly, let me say this is a really well written book, beautiful descriptive language throughout. The author is clearly a Kate Bush aficionado and fan, and, although critical when he considers it is justified, is very sympathetic to her throughout the book (but then it seems no-one who has actually met her has a bad word to say about her). The book is very detailed and well researched and goes into great detail about her work in the studio. I keep returning to the book for further insights and information on context for various songs. The author gives his own biases and opinions quite freely, which, although I don't agree with many of them, I found refreshing and often amusing. Little throwaway put downs about Sting and Freddie Mercury made me laugh. The book version I have goes up to the release of 'Fifty Words For Snow' and was written before her recent 2014 shows. His critique of the album '50 Words For Snow' is so brilliant and insightful, it's worth getting the book for that alone. Kate Bush lovers seem to have very pronounced views about her work and the author is disparaging about The Red Shoes (which is one of my favourite albums of hers) and he prefers her later 'Directors Cut' of songs like Rubber-band Girl (which I think is a mess) over the original (which I like a lot). He even goes so far as to dismiss critics who liked The Red Shoes as "falling into the trap of writing what they thought they were supposed to think about a new Kate Bush record, rather than what they were actually hearing". But that's ok with me, Kate seems to do this to people and there's room for all of us amongst the works of the genius Kate Bush. One last thing, I have the book rather than the Kindle version (about which I have heard some bad reviews re quality)

4 people found this helpful

S. Bateman

Insightful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 24, 2013

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Problem. How do you write an informative and comprehensive book about someone who shuns the public gaze and therefore details are very hard to come by? That's the enormous task facing the author here. He responds with a very well researched and surprisingly meaty book, where he has clearly taken the time to talk to as many people who have known and worked with Bush as possible. As a result we are treated to a deeper understanding (sorry for the pun, Kate) of Kate Bush and her music. It's an unhurried and painstaking exercise, but rarely boring.

If you can get past the first 25 pages, or so, which deal with Kate's life before she burst onto the scene, then you will be richly rewarded. The problem with those early pages is that they feel like a lot of conjecture on the author's part as he tries to speculate of Kate's formative inspirations (he may well be right on many, but it's short on concrete confirmation from family or friends). What's great about the rest of the book is that it really documents and examines Kate's musical journey, offering real insights into some of the songs that I've been enjoying for decades, but has me now listening to them with fresh ears.

What I like most, is this is not some gushing fan's-eye-view of the great lady. Thomson doesn't shy from criticism of the music or some of Kate's career decisions. If you are big fan, like me, you may not always agree, or be comfortable with, his denigration of some of her work, as it's ultimately about personal opinion, but it does make for a better, well-balanced book.

I'm really pleased I bought it.

2 people found this helpful

DBT

Fabulous!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 1, 2014

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An exceptional account of Bush's work, beautifully written and engaging. I particularly found the background to individual songs enlightening and found myself revisiting her works throughout my reading of the book. Although it focuses more heavily on Bush's earlier and middle works, what I found interesting, especially in light of recent developments, is Thomson's references to the fact Bush always planned to play live again. Now this is set to happen, and as Bushmania is set to reach it's peak as August approaches, if you want a starting point from which to understand the woman and her work, this is the only place to go. This is the absolute pinnacle of music biography. A triumph. Cheers!

2 people found this helpful

G. Boyle

A Brilliant book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 3, 2013

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I really enjoyed this book. It is written with much respect, and contains many views from those who have worked with Kate over the years. It is thought provoking too, when looking at how Kate works and the life she has shaped for herself. I have just bought kate's back catologue and knew nothing about her before reading this marvellous book. It is a great accompaniment to the albums. It also has plenty of interesting and lovely photographs of Kate over the years. Published in 2010, it covers her life and work up to this point. Short of Kate releasing her autobiography, l doubt you'll find a more balanced account of her life and music so far. I highly recommend it.

One person found this helpful

Benno K.

As good as it may possibly get

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 21, 2013

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It is a bold attempt for any author trying to answer the question "who is she ?" about an artist as evasive as Kate Bush, Graeme Thompson
however succeeds with this biography in the best possible way. He avoids worshipping and speculation, while trying to get nearer to the artist through her output and the people involved with her. Criticism is not spared where he thinks it is appropriate, but a genuine love and appreciation for her work and person is shown throughout. In one of her early poems she revealed that "no one will ever see the real me", but if you want "deeper understanding" then you should read this careful accomplished biography.

One person found this helpful

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